Marvel Avengers Alliance

Marvel Avengers Alliance Overview

Marvel: Avengers Alliance is a social browser MMO from Playdom based on the magnificent Marvel Universe where heroes like Iron Man and Captain America exist. This action-packed game transports players into a world currently under attack by an army of super villains. Somehow, a mysterious force has entered Earth strengthening the powers of every notorious villain ever were and now they’re wreaking havoc in the streets of Manhattan. Players step into the shoes of an agent for the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization, the last line of defense against superhuman terrorism to assemble a worthy team of avengers. Recruit and command all of your beloved Marvel comic book heroes and form unbeatable team of heroes to battle legendary villains and other players’ in PvP combat for the title of greatest agent of all time. All agents start out as generalists until they choose a class. There are five different classes available.

Classes:

Blaster – Blasters make up for their low defensive skill with the ability to execute damaging critical hits to opponents. Heroes that are considered blasters include Iron Man, Human Torch, Storm, Dr. Strange, Phoenix, Scarlet Witch, and Ms. Marvel.

Bruiser – This class can activate a special enraged mode that automatically boosts attack, accuracy, and amps up defense. Some notorious Bruisers are Hulk, Thor, Thing, and Colossus.

Infiltrator – Powerful against the Tactician class these heroes are known for their devastating counter-attacks and combat reflexes. Spider-Man, Black Widow, Gambit, and Night crawler are infiltrators.

Scrapper – Always ready to rumble, this class performs powerful attacks and precise aim. When battling Infiltrators they receive a second follow-up attack. Scrapers such as Wolverine, Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Sif are popular.

Tactician - Tacticians feature the strongest defense abilities among the classes. They’re great at taking down Blasters. Captain America, Mr. Fantastic, Hawkeye, War Machine, Cyclops, Emma Frost, and Black Panther are considered part of this class.

Marvel Avengers Alliance Screenshots

Marvel Avengers Alliance Featured Video

Full Review

Marvel Avengers Alliance Review

Full Review

By Ange Perdu

Marvel: Avengers Alliance is a 2D social browser based MMO where players join the infamous S.H.I.E.L.D. organization as an agent determined to lead a team of legendary heroes against an evil militia of villains terrorizing Manhattan. Incorporating over 40 different comic book superheroes and an equally impressive number of notorious villains, players are transported into a Marvel Universe. Recruit and command a team of avengers to wage war. Unlock your favorite heroes, train them, complete missions, and tackle remote operations. Participate in PvP combat to test your super team’s skills and move up the ranks. Players can purchase a variety of weapons and upgrades for an advantage in battles also. Playable directly on Playdom’s website or through Facebook players can connect with friends and aid each other in this epic fight against a sinister force overtaking the city.

Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D., the Gameplay

Similar to DC Universe Online the entire game is superhero themed. Nick Fury welcomes new agents leading them through a quick tutorial on the organization’s daily operations. There’s a convenient more story tab for comic book fans that want a bit more dialogue. For those that prefer to get straight to the action and bypass the heroic declarations the game automatically progresses. It’s a nice touch, giving the game a true comic book atmosphere. Most of the gameplay involves completing missions categorized into chapters and random tasks. Each mission requires players to clear a map area by defeating all enemies and bosses. Players start off in the historic Time Square with highlighted buildings displaying the number of villains that must be defeated. A quick click transports a player’s team of heroes instantly to the scene for a showdown. All combat is turn-based. Each team member and villain has a turn to attack. At the bottom of the screen players have an option to execute a particular skill or to activate an item like a first aid kit. Shoot a sure shot or project a missile barrage onto your foes. Like the Facebook game Mafia Wars there’s a rather annoying energy system that can stifle gameplay at times. Every battle requires a set amount of energy. Once a player is depleted of energy they have to wait until it slowly restores which can take hours. The only way to speed up this process is to rely on the kindness of friends known as allies to send free energy as gifts or to purchase an energy bundle. Allies can also gift distress calls that will allow an agent to send for an additional hero to assist in battle. After the match is over a combat score is calculated by adding overkill, endurance, body count, one shots, rounds, and vitality, stats. XP, coins, and occasionally item bonuses are rewarded. There are also special tasks or quests that are listed on the side of the screen for agents to tackle as well. These objectives vary from defeating 25 enemies to leveling up your agent to a specific level.

PvP Combat Avenger Style

When a player completes their fourth mission in the game they will unlock the PvP option. PvP combat in Marvel: Avenger Alliance is very basic. Players enter a special player versus player dashboard where they can select their desired heroes for the match and choose items to bring into the battle. Each hero has a stat bonus that can be manipulated depending on their class. Battles are ranked enabling a player to automatically move up the Leader boards or descend. Although the match-ups are selected randomly players are usually close in levels but occasionally it will be a much higher ranking team against a newbie. Agents have access to an armory that is separate from their inventory that they can carry with them in ranked matches. The items placed in these sockets provide a player’s team with extra offensive or defensive stats. Strategy definitely comes into play as users choose gear and supplies that will give them an edge during combat. PvP items like the Chrono Boost which grants two actions for every turn can make or break an agent’s match when pinned against higher level heroes. The Focus Patch which enables more powerful critical hits and the ISO-8 Chips embedded into gear can make a team of avengers three times as effective. The higher level the hero the more damage they can deal during these intense battles.

Iron Man Vs Whiplash

One of the coolest features about Marvel: Avengers Alliance is the variety of heroes and arch villains that players encounter as they progress in the game. Every hero must be unlocked through leveling up and then purchased in order to recruit them as an official member of your team’s roster. As players unlock more heroes they will also face off with higher level bosses and that particular character’s notorious villains. Battle a team lead by Iron Man against former weapons expert and arch enemy, Whiplash. It’s equally challenging as it is fun. Heroes’ skills are not abundant though. There are only three additional skill slots that are not available until levels 2, 6, and 9 are reached for each specific hero. Players have to carefully select their character’s training and which hero they wish to invest the most time to for the best advantage in battles. The strategic element in the game can be compared to the turn based combat in Nadirim. Recruiting, training, and buying various weapons for heroes can also be costly. Players have to depend on the reward bonuses from completed remote operations and fellow allies’ generosity to help fund their super team. Remote Ops are performed on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Flight Deck. Players can send heroes on remote timed missions for bonus XP and coins. Each operation has its own set location, duration, and reward. The longer the expedition the higher the bonus reward will be. These side missions are almost essential in order to accumulate enough currency to purchase weapons, upgrades, and equipment for your heroes.

Assault Shotguns to Cosmic Ray Bombs

Although players do receive random items after defeating menacing boss characters most of the weapons and gear in the game must be purchased through the shop. There’s a wide selection of weapons and gadgets available for users to equip their heroes with. Arm them with the Spirit-76, Screaming Eagle .50, Grenade Revolver, Sub-O Optics Military Rifle, El Diablo, Miasma Cannon, Assault Shotgun, Tsunami Fist, Quickdraw 40, Hidden Blade, Retractable Baton, Chain Blade, Feral Claw, Laser Sword, The Ripper, and Frag Bracer. Gadgets that assist in battle like the Digital Decoy, Quantum Jumper, Cosmic Ray Bombs, Heroic Call, Infinite Injection, and Early Warning Detector are also available. Stones such as the ISO-8 that boosts hero’s stats along with first aid and stamina kits can be purchased in the shops too. Unfortunately the best guns and gear cost gold which requires the purchase of packs using real money. There’s also an in-combat store feature that allows players to buy items during their turn in the middle of a battle like cluster grenades. Combat Localized Nullifier which destroys a single enemy and the Combat Team Restoration Pack that restores all allies’ health and stamina are on sale as well. Similar to the shop these highly effective items must be purchased using gold instead of coins. Additional missions in each chapter require premium status in order to access them also. It’s a common yet sometimes aggravating aspect in most F2P browser games.

Final Verdict: Good

Marvel: Avengers Alliance is a solid social browser MMORPG. Players enter the incredible Marvel Universe with the ability to recruit and command their own team of Superheroes. Fight villains, hard-to-beat boss characters, and even other players’ avenger teams to move up the Leaderboards as best S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Complete various missions as you clean up the streets of New York City. Create powerful teams consisting of your beloved childhood heroes ranging from Spider-Man to Mr. Fantastic and in between. Train them to enhance their skills, tackle special tasks, and remote ops. The game combines elements of DC Universe Online and the social aspects of many popular Facebook titles to create and fun action-packed adventure that users can play with their friends. Anyone who’s a fan of Marvel Comics will absolutely love this casual MMO. It’s definitely worth checking out if you want to vary your Facebook gaming credentials and add a dose of super human crime fighting to the mix.